By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Four more Village Heads have been confirmed winners following the conclusion of elections in parts of Western Rural District, the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) confirmed in a Press Release dated 14th November 2023.
Abubakarr Barrie won the race in Sussex Village with five hundred and eighty-five votes; Crispin Atkins of Samuel Town got five hundred and fifty, Mohamed Sankoh of Bonga Wharf- two hundred and twenty-six, and Joseph Jalloh of No.2 Village- eight hundred and fifty-nine.
In an interview with Politico, the Deputy Director of Media-ECSL, Christopher A.A. Jones said two rerun elections were conducted at No. 2 Village and Bonga Farm, in which three and two candidates contested respectively in the polls held on Saturday 11th November, 2023. Jones noted results were earlier withheld for Sussex Village due to what he said was a misplacement of centre, which was later corrected and Barrie confirmed the winner.
“For Samuel Town, it was not a re-run. There was a petition there, but after we investigated, we found that there was nothing to disturb the outcome of the result,” he said, with Atkins declared the winner.
On when the elected village heads will be sworn in, Jones said each village head is to collect a letter from the Western Rural District Council Office. “We have also sent letters to the Chief Administrator and the Minister of Local Government,” he said, adding that it is the responsibility of the Minister of Local Government.
Of the total 121 villages for which candidate nominations were declared by the ECSL for the Western Rural District Village Head Elections on 28th August 2023, 33 were declared uncontested, making it possible for 88 villages to present 270 candidates to contest the said elections.
In the end, forty-five out of eighty-eight results were petitioned. The ECSL, however, discarded forty-two of those petitions which they said lacked “sufficient evidence”.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (17/11/23)
